Daimler Hire
Encyclopedia
Daimler Hire Limited a service begun in 1897, provided a luxury chauffeur-driven
Daimler
Limousine-hire-service from Knightsbridge in London. It was a wholly owned operation and later a subsidiary of The Daimler Motor Company Limited
.
Later it included self-drive hire cars and aviation services. London operations were based at 243 Knightsbridge, SW7—a former ice-skating rink—and 68 Brompton Road, SW3. In the 1950s, no longer owned by Daimler, its fleet was extended to include Humber Pullman and Humber Super Snipe limousines
During 1919 250 new Daimler limousines were added to the fleet and during the 1919 rail strike they ran shuttle services between London and Birmingham and London and Manchester with “high-powered limousines and landaulettes” “for business trips and journeys of importance”.
, an airway service to France as a natural extension to the facilities for comfortable private transport already afforded by the company through its unique fleet of luxury touring cars.
Daimler Airway, in 1924, became the major constituent of the new national air carrier, Imperial Airways Limited
when Daimler Hire’s managing director, Frank Searle
and manager George E Woods Humphery, took the same positions with Imperial Airways.
Daimler Hire provided 150 Daimler Straight-Eights carrying, in one continuous procession, foreign dignitaries attending the coronation of King George VI in 1937. Over a thousand privately owned Daimlers arranged by Daimler Hire were also used in connection with the coronation.
in 1930 75% of the ordinary shares were sold to Thomas Tilling Limited
which operated a similar London private-hire-car business. They purchased the balance of the capital from Daimler in 1949.
At the beginning of 1958 the company whose chauffeurs then covered 2.3 million miles a year, with self-drive clients accounting for another 7.5 million, was bought by Hertz Group of America
as their first inroad in to the British car hire business.
Daimler Hire Limited retained its separate trading identity until 1976.
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
Daimler
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
Limousine-hire-service from Knightsbridge in London. It was a wholly owned operation and later a subsidiary of The Daimler Motor Company Limited
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
.
Later it included self-drive hire cars and aviation services. London operations were based at 243 Knightsbridge, SW7—a former ice-skating rink—and 68 Brompton Road, SW3. In the 1950s, no longer owned by Daimler, its fleet was extended to include Humber Pullman and Humber Super Snipe limousines
Origin
Formally inaugurated in December 1907, Daimler Hire began when half a dozen of the Coventry workforce were ”put through a thorough course of tuition on the motor and driving” so that carriages could be “let out on hire with a competent driver for a period not exceeding three months at a charge of £5 per week – this amount , less driver’s wages to be refunded in the event of purchase”. The London operation began as a reserve pool of cars and staff of drivers to provide support for the mews at Buckingham Palace and other Daimler owners when their cars need servicing. It services soon extended to prosperous London residents who did not wish to have the trouble of keeping their own car and driver. Visitors toured Europe in their Daimler Hire limousines with chauffeur-guide. Daimler viewed it as “a demonstration to all the world of the utility comfort and reliability of the Daimler car”.During 1919 250 new Daimler limousines were added to the fleet and during the 1919 rail strike they ran shuttle services between London and Birmingham and London and Manchester with “high-powered limousines and landaulettes” “for business trips and journeys of importance”.
Aviation
From 1919 its services were extended to Daimler Air Hire Limited, a luxury aircraft-hire or charter service to which was soon added a scheduled airline, Daimler Airway LimitedDaimler Airway
Daimler Airway was an airline subsidiary of BSA group's Daimler Motor Company created to use some of the assets of the failed ventures Airco and its subsidiary Aircraft Transport and Travel acquired by BSA in February 1920.-History:...
, an airway service to France as a natural extension to the facilities for comfortable private transport already afforded by the company through its unique fleet of luxury touring cars.
Daimler Airway, in 1924, became the major constituent of the new national air carrier, Imperial Airways Limited
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
when Daimler Hire’s managing director, Frank Searle
Frank Searle (businessman)
Frank Searle CBE, DSO, MIME was a British transport entrepreneur, a locomotive engineer who moved from steam to omnibuses, the motor industry and airlines.-Personal:...
and manager George E Woods Humphery, took the same positions with Imperial Airways.
Car radio receivers
In March 1923 a dozen or so radio-equipped cars were put in service. The extra cost of the radio equipment could be as much as 25% on to the cost of the car and even though six radio stations operated in the London area Daimler proved to be too far ahead of demand.Daimler Hire provided 150 Daimler Straight-Eights carrying, in one continuous procession, foreign dignitaries attending the coronation of King George VI in 1937. Over a thousand privately owned Daimlers arranged by Daimler Hire were also used in connection with the coronation.
Ownership
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Daimler Motor Company LimitedDaimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
in 1930 75% of the ordinary shares were sold to Thomas Tilling Limited
Thomas Tilling
Thomas Tilling Ltd, later known with its subsidiary companies as the Tilling Group, was one of the two huge groups which controlled almost all the major bus operators in the United Kingdom between the wars and until nationalisation in 1948....
which operated a similar London private-hire-car business. They purchased the balance of the capital from Daimler in 1949.
At the beginning of 1958 the company whose chauffeurs then covered 2.3 million miles a year, with self-drive clients accounting for another 7.5 million, was bought by Hertz Group of America
The Hertz Corporation
Hertz Global Holdings Inc is an American car rental company with international locations in 145 countries worldwide.-Early years:The company was founded by Walter L. Jacobs in 1918, who started a car rental operation in Chicago with a dozen Model T Ford cars. In 1923, Jacobs sold it to John D...
as their first inroad in to the British car hire business.
Daimler Hire Limited retained its separate trading identity until 1976.